Determination Of The Effects Of HIV/AIDs On Farm Income And Food Production On Communal Farms In Kavango Region

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of HIV/AIDS on farm income and food production in Kavango region. Representative farm models of communal farms for each of the two most common farming systems in Kavango region were developed. These are the riverline and inland farming systems, which were then used to determine the levels of farm income and food production at farm level under various HIV/AIDS scenarios in terms of changes in resource availability and gender, based labour loss. The scenarios used are (1) male adult illness (2) female adult illness (3) both male and female adult illness. Non-linear programming models were used and run in GAMS to determine levels of income and production for each scenario. Two representative models were used, one each for Mashare and Mile 30 ADCs. Farming systems in Kavango region were different in terms of income earned and sources, crop mix, and household sizes. The riverline farming system had more diversity in activities, and income sources than inland farming system. When the scenarios were applied to the models, the responses showed similar trend but the magnitudes were different with riverline farming system reporting bigger losses in income than the inland. More income and output were lost when it was a male who got ill than when it was a female who got ill. The models affirmed the findings that agricultural output is already low in the region and the effects of HIV/AIDS exacerbate the food security situation. The results also showed the importance of remittances and social grants such as pension as they remained as sources of income when other sources were depleted or no longer available.